Fickle Muse - Drabbles
by Lolabean07
Summary: A collection of drabbles involving mostly the wolf pack. Details for each drabble are located within each one and will include rating and character(s). A way for me to work through writer's block.
1. Second Best

******Twilight and its characters belong to SMeyer. No copyright infringement intended.**

**AN: This is the first of several drabbles that I will be posting. The prompts will be at the top and none of them will be related (or at least they are not at this time). Each story will have a a small part at the beginning with genre, rating, character(s), and word count. **

* * *

**Prompt from: TR's Weekly Fanfiction Flash Fic Challenge.**

**Prompt:**

_**Jealousy: "A sentiment which is born in love and which is produced by the fear that the loved person prefers someone else" (Littre).**_

_**Or**_

_**"I don't want to lie anymore."**_

* * *

**Title:** Second Best

**Genre:** Drama

**Rating:** T

**Character:** Emily

**Word Count:** 501

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She wasn't sure when she first started feeling the persistent green monster within.

Perhaps it happened the summer when they were both 15 and the boys flocked around her cousin while they ignored her. Or maybe it was when the one and only reason why she begged to stay in La Push every summer asked Leah out and not her. Or maybe it was the day she realized fate had betrayed her.

She scowled at herself in the mirror. Her face attempted, but failed to twist itself into the look she desired. It was just another thing that helped to feed the monster within.

All she had ever wanted was to be loved and needed. What she had gotten was a ruined face, chapped hands from constant cooking, cleaning, and baking, and a man that she could barely stand.

If she had been smart, she would've run. She wished she still could, but her near-dying (even though he'd been the one to hurt her) had nearly killed him. Instead she had become a sadist, relishing in fate's cruel jest.

"I don't want to lie anymore," she said to the woman in the mirror she barely recognized.

She kept thinking if she spoke the words they would become easier to say. It never worked. She had been saying it for months. It circled in her mind like a litany.

But every time she tried saying it aloud and to those who needed to hear it – it came out wrong.

"_Sure, I can mend that."_

"_Let me make you a plate."_

"_You must be tired – sit – I'll take care of it."_

It was official; she was nothing more than a doormat. The pack expected her to take care of them. They showed up at Sam's place all hours of the day and night. It didn't matter how tired she was or how much she longed to scream "NO!" and stamp her feet in frustration, she had become spineless.

An even smaller shadow of the person she had once been. She had always felt that Leah was like the sun. Her cousin's beauty and personality had overshadowed her for as long as she could remember.

And even though fate had made Emily special – it made Leah even more so. Emily may have the love and devotion of Sam, but with that came a lifetime of slavery.

She wished she could be Leah. Wished she could do something other than stay at home and wait for Sam to come home. Wished that she had a choice and wasn't just second best.

The elders had lied; she didn't _really _get a choice. When faced with choosing the woman he loved and the woman he could share everything with – he had picked the latter. She had resisted until he tore her face apart and only then did she betray her best friend.

"I don't want to lie anymore," she whispered a final time before heading to the kitchen to start another day in her monotonous life.

Someday.

FF_10482258_1 06/24/2014 7:44 PM


	2. Unbroken

**********Twilight and its characters belong to SMeyer. No copyright infringement intended.**

**********AN: This drabble ties into Falling Flowers. A little peek into the future as Paul faces his demons (his mom's abandonment) and Rachel learns to depend on others again.**

* * *

**Prompt from: TR's Weekly Fanfiction Flash Fic Challenge.**

**Prompt:**

**You are enough. **

**You are so enough. **

**I****t is unbelievable**

**how enough you are**

* * *

**Title: **Unbroken

**Genre: **Romance

**Rating: T**

**Pairings: **Paul/Rachel

**Word Count:** 576

* * *

Rachel had always believed she was broken. The hurts of her past, she'd carried them around for so long that she was afraid to let go of them. She'd never been able to find an outlet – a healthy one that is – until the day she returned to La Push for answers.

She'd never expected the truth to be so _transforming_. She'd never known the strength that was hidden inside her all along. In a single moment she was able to save her brother. Something that she thought she'd lost the opportunity to do.

Slowly she was healing. She'd begun to repair the relationship with her father that had been shattered all those years ago by her mom's death. Her newfound serenity aided her ability to help another who had hurt just as much as she had.

Paul.

Just the thought of his name created warmth in her body. He'd been there that day when her world had turned completely upside down. Somehow he'd instinctually known how to _save_ her that day.

Since then, the pack had gazed at them with varying degrees of curiosity. The pack mind allowed her to see who Paul had been before. The womanizer, the jerk, the angriest wolf who was always looking for his next fight. But that wasn't how she knew him.

He was so much more than that. He was nothing like the way he'd been before. He was just as broken as she was.

At first she'd resisted. She'd managed to steer clear of co-dependency. She didn't want to fall into the same darkness she had before, but somehow he'd wormed his way into her heart. Once there, she couldn't eradicate him no matter how hard she tried.

Today was all about him. He'd asked her months ago for a small favor. He'd been the one to put it off time and time again. Last week she'd given him an ultimatum of sorts. They would go to Othello and she would finally let him take her on a _real _date.

She gave him seven days to decide and if he didn't then well, she wasn't sure what she would have done. She doubted she would be able to follow through with her threat. They had become too close for them to go back now, but their relationship was still new and fragile.

"You can do this," she told him encouragingly when his hand paused in its attempt to knock on the door.

Her words gave him the strength he needed. His knock was loud and sure. Rachel's presence was enough to stop him from fidgeting. She was a balm to his roughness. She had helped to fill the emptiness he'd carried around for so long.

"What if…" he whispered; his words trailing off into nothingness.

She turned to him. Her hands framing his face as her eyes met his. Her love for him spilled forth through her eyes and expression.

"You are enough. You are so enough. It is unbelievable how enough you are," she finished as she rose up on tiptoes and kissed his lips.

It didn't matter whether his mother loved him or not. It didn't matter that she'd abandoned him all those years ago. He'd come for answers and if they weren't the ones he'd been seeking, then Rachel would be there to help him pick up the pieces.

Because it was as she'd said and he believed her with all his heart.

FF_10482258_2 06/26/2014 5:44 AM


	3. Bound

**Twilight and its characters belong to SMeyer. _Love Runs Out _lyrics belong to One Republic. No copyright infringement intended.**

**AN: This ties into a one-shot I'm working on entitled: The Lies that Bind**

* * *

******Prompt from: TR's Weekly Fanfiction Flash Fic Challenge.**

******One Republic's song _Love Runs Out_**

******and**

******Fireworks**

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**Title:** Bound

**Genre: **Romance/Hurt

**Rating: **T

**Pairings:** Paul/Leah

**Word Count: **577

* * *

Paul's temper had been legendary, but something changed that. After the newborn war, he'd become a different person and he wasn't the only one. At first the pack had nothing better to do besides create idle gossip.

He put them in their places. For too long, he'd recognized the pull and desire to be what the she-wolf needed. Her capitulation had been an answered prayer. He refused to lose her now that she was his.

Despite the intensity of their passion, their bond was not forged as the others' had been. The gilded cables of an imprint had not laid the foundation of their love. Instead they had come together in an explosion of gunpowder and fire.

Akin to a fireworks display in the sky.

And if Leah was honest with herself, that intensity scared the shit out of her. She worried they'd burn fast or too brightly; consuming the world around them until nothing was left.

Love was supposed to be temperate. A gentle rain that nurtured the ground not a tempest that destroyed it. It was the comfort of your lover's arms and the soothing beat of their heart on your cheek.

She knew without a doubt that it couldn't last. There was no way the spirits would grant her happiness. They'd proved it when she'd lost her fiancé, her cousin, and her father in one fell swoop.

When Paul's eyes locked on Rachel Black's a mere week after they'd shared their 3-month anniversary, she wasn't shocked. The disappointment she'd hoped to feel wasn't there nor was the anger she needed to survive.

He'd promised, not in words but in actions, that he was hers forever. At first, she hadn't wanted to believe him and the moment she'd begun to, everything had fallen apart.

Without him, her body felt chilled. She went through the motions of her day aimless and without purpose. She volunteered for extra patrols and did her best to avoid any and all situations where _they_ might be.

Her lack of faith in him cut Paul deeply. Her avoidance stung. Hadn't he shown her that she was the only one for him? The wolf spirits may have decreed that Rachel was his – the wolf may wish it to be, but the man knew what they _needed_.

Maybe the past couple of weeks had made him a bit cracked. But he missed her. He needed her like his lungs needed air. Without her, his life was devoid of meaning.

He found himself outside her window after patrol with a MP3 player and a mini speaker.

_I'll be your light, your match, your burning sun,  
I'll be the bright, in black that's makin' you run.  
And we'll feel alright, and we'll feel alright,  
'Cause we'll work it out, yeah we'll work it out._

"Paul, what are you doing?" she asked, throwing up the sash.

"I need you as much as you need me. If it takes never phasing again to have you in my life, I'll do it. I'll fight for you until I there's nothing left of me because you're worth it."

"…Paul…they'll never let you."

"Since when do we care what they tell us? Please," he begged as he reached a hand up to her.

Hesitantly, she reached down and allowed him to wrap her hand in his. The simple touch re-ignited the fire inside her. He was right. It was them against the world, but they'd conquer whatever obstacles faced them.

FF_10482258_3 06/30/2014 8:28 AM


	4. Cold Breakfast

**Twilight and its characters belong to SMeyer. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**AN: I'm not sure I'm in love with the title, but my first choice _Breakfast at [wolf's name] _would give away all the mystery and sometimes I like to keep people guessing. :D**

* * *

**Prompt from: TR's Weekly Fanfiction Flash Fic Challenge.**

** Picture of a guy wearing boxer briefs standing at stove and cooking.**

**and**

**_"I don't think you understand the position you're putting me in here."_**

* * *

**Title:** Cold Breakfast

**Genre: **Romance/Smut

**Rating: **M

**Pairings:** Leah / Wolf

**Word Count:** 2,013 (I didn't get an opportunity to post it in time to TR for the Wk 19 - plus it's 1,500 words over - oops).

* * *

She woke up stiff and sore in a bed that wasn't her own. Stretching her limbs, she corrected her earlier thoughts. Not only was sore, she was likely bruised. Parts of her body that she'd forgotten long ago protested her movements.

_She'd been thoroughly used, but in the best possible way._

Rolling to her side, she swung her legs off the bed and sat up in a single motion. The change in position gave her the opportunity to take a look around. Her lips curved in amusement as her eyes roved over the posters thumbtacked to the walls.

A giant poster of the newest X-Men movie with Hugh Jackman aka Wolverine front and center. Another with Jane Foster dressed in true Asgardian fashion; a fierce look of determination on her face as she stood near Thor that spoke volumes of her vow to protect him at all costs. Lastly, there was one with featuring Tony Stark as he wore his iconic Iron Man suit except for the helmet.

That was the one her gaze stayed on the longest. Not that Robert Downey Jr. would ever be her league and obviously, Tony Stark wasn't real, but there was something so attractive about him. It wasn't his looks, it was his personality and how he reacted to life. It made her think of the man whose room she was in.

_How she'd overlooked him for so long, she'd never know._

Standing, she glanced down at her nakedness and remembered she'd left her clothes where he'd found her. She could hear faint noises coming from the kitchen and the smell of breakfast wafted her way. She crossed the room to the dresser and opened a drawer.

It took opening and closing a couple of them before she found what she was looking for. She was surprised at his neatness. Each drawer served a specific purpose and his clothes were neatly folded. She slid a white tank over her torso and found a pair of sweatpants with a drawstring. Pulling the sweatpants on and up over her hips, she secured them by tying a bow.

Her feet padded softly on the hardwood floor as she made her way to the main area of the house. She found him standing with his back towards her wearing a pair of black boxer briefs that left nothing to the imagination. He was shorter than most of them, but his stocky build made up for his lack of height.

Even though she'd crept silently, he'd been aware of her since she'd woken up. Without turning, he greeted her with a single word, "Hungry?"

The deep tenor of his voice washed over her. The word and his inflection held another meaning. The double entendre of it pulled her into her memories.

_She'd done a quick patrol and after decided she'd go to a spot she'd found years ago. It was a place that was far from either packs' normal patrol routes. It had taken a while, but she'd finally found freedom within her wolf._

_Even with the Cullens leaving and Jake going with them, the two packs had never merged together. She'd remained Jake's beta and kept their pack in line. Sam and Jared remained in charge of the La Push pack._

_After the showdown with the Volturi, there'd been no more phasing. Both Sam and Jake agreed that the youngest members were to focus on their schooling. On the weekends, they might run for a few hours with an older wolf, but for the most part, they enjoyed being kids._

_Today had been an exceptionally warm day for northwestern Washington. A swim in the river was just what she needed. She ran in, still in her wolf form. A small noise of pleasure came from her at the first feel of the icy cold water rushing through her fur._

_Midway through, she phased back. The temperature of the water eased her transition. It was strange how the pain of phasing never went away. Perhaps it was a reminder that living forever was a burden._

_She swam from one side to the other. Her muscles burned from her efforts. Exhausted, she forced herself to swim back to the center of the river and then turned on her back._

_She didn't move at all. Instead she floated and stared up at the sky. Her flesh had long since cooled and her nipples had pulled into stiff points._

_She couldn't say how long it took before she realized she was being watched. She didn't perceive danger, so she continued to relax while her mind went over the possibilities. No one from either pack came out this far. Not once had she smelled evidence of it. And she doubted the older pack members would stick around and wait for her to lay into them._

_The only explanation was one of the young ones looking to add something to their "spank bank." Not only would one of them be dumb enough to spy on her, but in the past five years they'd become an annoyance._

_Well, if they want a show that's what I'll give to them, she thought. Her lips curved into a smirk as she plotted her revenge. She turned over, her long limbs glided through the water as she swam to the shore._

_When she reached an area where the water was shallow enough for her to stand up, she slowly rose to her feet. Her hands reached up and squeezed the excess water out of her hair. Water sluiced off her body in icy rivulets. She struggled to contain the shudder than demanded to work its way through her body. Her skin broke out in goose flesh._

_She walked with purpose to where her prey hid. Her eyes glowed in amusement. Whoever was out there would think twice of spying on her again. A part of her hoped it was one of her pack members so that she could replace their fantasies of her with someone else, but if it was one of Sam's, she'd have him running home._

_Only once she finally spied him, her mouth dropped open in shock. A frisson of desire spiked through her. She'd been a few dates and taken a lover or two, but nothing had worked out long term._

_Defensively, she crossed her arms over her chest. Her belief that she was in control was bellied by the heat in his eyes as his gaze raked over her. His unclothed form made her stomach churn. Each second that they stood in silence staring at the other caused his cock to grow, thickening and lengthening until her mouth dried up while other parts of her body were flooded with moisture._

_Her mind unfroze and she turned to run, but he'd already guessed her intentions. His brawny arms trapped her between him and a tree. She could feel his hot, hard length pressed against her belly; branding her and she whimpered at the feeling of her womb clenching and unclenching. Wetness pooled and dripped down to coat her thighs._

_In a trance, she watched as his nostrils flared as he took in her scent. He learned forward, his lips and teeth grazed where her pulse thundered in her neck. Her legs turned to jelly and before she buckled, his arm wrapped around her and held her upright._

"_Mmm, you smell good," he lowly growled near her ear._

"_You can't," she squeaked as his teeth nibbled on her ear lobe._

"_Who says? I don't see what's stopping us…I know exactly what you need, Leah."_

"_But…your imprint…"_

"_I waited years to make you mine. I've watched as you've fucked those pathetic human boys, thinking they'll be able to satisfy you. Face it; you need me as much as I need you."_

"_No, we can't. It will never be allowed…"_

_Her protest was swallowed by his lips crashing into hers. His tongue invaded her mouth. Their breath mingled. Her hands fluttered helplessly for a few terse moments as they sought something to hold onto. They found it in clinging to his shorn locks of hair._

"Leah?" he queried; abruptly pulling from her musings.

He stood in front of her. His deep brown eyes searched her face. He stood so close to her that she could feel the heat radiating from him. Normally, she'd be uncomfortable being this close to anyone.

For years, she'd held everyone at arm's length, but there was something different about him. It was something unexplainable, which helped her to find solace in his nearness. She found herself leaning into him. Her body and soul craved him.

Meeting his gaze, she replied, "I don't think you understand the position you're putting me in here."

"But I do," he reassured her. His fingers stroked her cheek. "Let's eat something and then we'll go talk to your mom and my grand-dad."

"You wouldn't really do what you said last night, would you?"

Quil watched as her cheeks and chest turned a rosy color in embarrassment. Despite this, there was the scent of excitement coming from her. He pulled her close, chuckling softly.

"You can't lie to me," he began. "It might scare you a bit, but the truth is you'd love it if I showed them exactly what they lost out on by not fighting for you. Just imagine the looks of lust and jealously on their faces as I slide into your tight, wet pussy, taking you until you scream my name and leaving no doubt as to who you belong to."

"Christ," she swore.

His hand reached down and undid the simple bow she'd tied earlier. That same hand slid into her pants, parted her labia and stroked her clit. Unknowingly, she held her breath as one of his thick fingers stroked her entrance. A sharp gasp fell from her lips when it stopped teasing and thrust inside.

She could feel his erection against her thigh and it only increased her growing desire. Sounds she'd never heard herself make came from her lips. Her voice took on a breathy tone as she begged and pleaded with him – to finish, to do more, and to take her in any way he pleased.

He flipped her around until her back and buttocks were pressed against the cool stone counter. Her hands helped his hand that wasn't occupied in giving her pleasure as together they pushed the baggy sweatpants off her hips. Once they were off, her hands impatiently ripped at his boxer briefs until they met the same fate.

In one motion, his cock thrust into her; replacing his finger and filling her in a way that made her feel complete. His hands lifted her up until she was precariously sitting on the counter. The coolness of the tiles contrasted with the heat pouring from them.

She struggled to keep her eyes open. Every fiber of her being was focused on the sensations; the smooth glide as he pulled away and the roughness of each thrust. Each movement claimed her over and over again until her skin tingled and her lower belly throbbed and ached.

Her lips and teeth sucked and nibbled his flesh; moving from his neck along his collarbone and finally down to his chest. And when her orgasm reached its crescendo, those same teeth sunk into the meaty flesh of his pectoral. It left a perfect imprint of her teeth, claiming him as hers.

Quil hissed in pain at the sharpness of her teeth and the burning sensation of his body trying to heal the fresh wound. His fingers dug into her hips as he thrust hard and fast, reaching climax moments after she did.

He felt versus heard her murmured "Sorry," as her lips kissed away the sting of her mark. He kissed the top of her head, his heart swelling with emotion.

"How about some breakfast?" he asked to avoid the conversation he knew she wasn't ready to have.

She wrinkled her nose at the smell of cold eggs and congealed bacon. "Only if you make it fresh."

He laughed, "Whatever you want, princess."

**AN: So what do you think of my first Leah/Quil? Now all that's left on my list is a Leah/Sam (where they are actually romantically involved and stay together). Leave a review as they are always appreciated. :D**

FF_10482258_4 07/14/2014 4:40 AM


	5. Treacherous Devotion

**Twilight and its characters belong to SMeyer. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

**Prompt from: TR's Weekly Fanfiction Flash Fic Challenge.**

_**"This is not what I signed up for."**_

* * *

**Title:** Treacherous Devotion

**Genre: **Horror

**Rating: **M for mature themes

**Pairing:** Kim/Jared, mention of Sam/Emily

**Word Count:** 617 (not counting the summary)

**Summary: **_She had always dreamed of finding love and in her youthful innocence she never realized that it had a dark side. That devotion could cross the line into obsession. And that she would live in fear of him finding out how much she loathed everything he was._

* * *

It'd been nothing more than a crush – an infatuation with someone she found attractive. She'd never talked to him and knew nothing of him – his likes or dislikes. And after her foray into romance at camp over the summer, she'd vowed to put her fascination with him away once and for all.

After all, once you'd experienced a relationship in real life – dreams just didn't cut it anymore. She returned to school confident and sure of herself in a way she'd never been. She was beautiful, smart, and loyal. She had so much to offer to someone who was worthy of her affections and Jared Cameron wasn't that person. Too bad fate hadn't recognized her decision.

_This was not what she signed up for._

Emily's tale was a cautionary one. Sam had _accidently _ripped off her face, but it wasn't long before Kim knew the truth.

Imprinting was dangerous – being an imprint even more so. The elders had gotten it all wrong. It had nothing to do with soul mates or keeping the wolf grounded. Only the most unstable wolves would imprint.

The nature of the imprint prevented them from harming humans when they couldn't control their irate wolves. The same wolves that detested sharing their bodies. Of course, it didn't mean the imprintee was safe.

It was the imprintee who took the brunt of their rage. The price to be paid for eternal love and devotion was a smattering of bruises and injuries. Each one was given in a place that could be covered by clothing.

The imprintees cowered in front of the wolves. As more members joined the pack, they mistook the imprintees' actions for submission. It was anything but that.

No one paid attention to their stiff gaits and the way they would splint their more tender areas. The pack laughed when Emily or Kim would jump, their hearts racing, at the raised voice of their respective _mates._

When Bella started coming by to spend more time with Jake, she listened in on their private conversation. It was the only time she did it and later Jared would punish her for it, but she hoped that they'd find an ally in the girl. She was wrong.

"_Edward says you're dangerous. He says you can't be trusted," Bella shared._

"_Ha!" Jake laughed scornfully. "Like that blood sucker can be trusted. We protect humans – not kill them."_

"_That's what I told him. Look at Emily and Kim. Do you think you'll imprint?"_

She didn't get to hear Jake's answer. Her guard was down and she hadn't noticed him watching her.

His hot fingers grabbed her arm tightly. She could feel bruises forming on top of ones that hadn't yet healed. He jerked her around, pressing her into the wall and trapping her.

Months of practice helped her to compose herself. She refused to show him fear. He loved it when he scared her – he thrived on it. His hot breath wafted across her cheek and she repressed her shudder.

"What did I tell you, Kim."

It wasn't really a question and she couldn't stop the thunderous beat of her heart. She struggled against him, trying to pull her arm free. Her actions only increased his ire. His fingers began to transform and she felt the dig of his claws into her flesh.

"No one can save you. _You're mine_," he growled. "I'd hate for you to look like Emily, but if that's what it takes…"

His words trailed off, but the threat was clear. He'd never do enough to kill her, but he'd find a way to hurt her so she could never leave. How she wished he'd never looked into her eyes.

FF_10482258_5 07/17/2014 8:07 AM


	6. Fatherless?

**Twilight and its characters belong to SMeyer. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

**Prompt from: TR's Weekly Fanfiction Flash Fic Challenge.**

**Skyler Stonestreet's _A Little Taste _[viewable on YouTube]**

* * *

**Title:** Fatherless?

**Genre: **Mystery (I'm not sure, so this is my best guess)

**Rating: **T

**Character(s):** Tiffany (mentions of Embry's father(s)…)

**Word Count:** 756

* * *

Tiffany knew better, but she couldn't help herself. She had just turned 18 and had begun to notice the effect she had on the opposite sex. Her parents worried that she'd end up pregnant before she graduated high school and decided to send her to stay with her aunt and uncle in Tacoma.

It was the biggest mistake they made.

Her uncle Rich owned a logging company; business always boomed during the summer months. Uncle Rich would hire young men from the area to fulfill the company's needs. In April he'd travel to La Push and Neah Bay and post flyers. It never failed that half a dozen or more young men from the reservations would travel to Tacoma; the draw of a good wage that included room and board brought them.

It started innocently enough. The days and evenings were warm and she dressed for _comfort_ and possibly to show off her _assets_. If her parents had seen what she was wearing it would've driven them to an early grave, but her aunt and uncle had never had children, so they indulged her. Not knowing that Tiffany was trouble.

All she wanted was _a little taste_.

The young men from La Push never saw what was coming. She'd greet them after a hard day's work in a pair of cut-off jean shorts and a tank top knotted just so that her trim belly showed. The button of her shorts undone, so that the two sides of the closure could be tucked and show off the bikini bottoms she wore underneath.

Her long black hair was pulled up into a messy bun. A few loose tendrils curled and framed her face. Her dark brown eyes were wide with innocence; her pupils dilated so that only a rim of brown was visible. A shiny rose-colored gloss tinted her full lips.

She was the walking embodiment of sex. It didn't matter that most of them had girlfriends, or in the case of some – wives, waiting for them back home. Their days were long – from sun up to sun down and the nights were lonely; sleeping in a bunk house with a dozen other men wasn't the same as being at home.

She worked her wiles on them, testing out her budding sexuality. It wasn't long before she'd enthralled them all. Even the best of men could fall and they did it with aplomb.

* * *

Autumn came and with it the end of summer. This year though it signaled much more than just the end of the busy season. Tiffany's wide-eyed innocence was gone.

Two blue lines stared at her mockingly. She couldn't return home, her parents would never welcome her. Not after what she'd done and definitely not when she wasn't sure _who_ her baby's father was.

It was with a heavy heart and resignation that she packed her meager belongings and made her way to La Push. At first, she hoped that she'd be able to convince one of them to step forward and be a father to her child, but she wasn't the only one expecting a child.

Instead she made an appointment with the tribal council. Her voice shook and her cheeks flushed with shame as she explained her circumstances. Surprisingly, the four male members seemed more than eager to hide her indiscretion and made it clear they wanted to keep her and the child close.

She walked out of the meeting with a small home on the reservation, a job, and the promise of a stipend to cover any expenses that her job didn't. The only caveat was that she was to inform them immediately in the event that her child was male.

It was a strange request, but even more peculiar was how they went out of their way to introduce their daughter-in-laws to her. They encouraged these women to welcome Tiffany with open arms and they did. It made her feel even guiltier than she already did.

Six months later, she vowed to never let her son's conception be discovered. She hid the secret in his name and prayed that he'd never ask the questions she couldn't answer. She thanked the gods that none of Embry's potential fathers were willing to admit that her child could be theirs.

Their denial made it so that Embry was in a sense raised by all of them. He took the better traits of each man, becoming someone she could be proud of. Someone that wouldn't make the same mistakes his fathers had made.

FF_10482258_6 07/27/2014 8:27 AM


	7. Bruised

******AN: _Please note massive trigger warning for this drabble; this is a very dark themed drabble with mentions of domestic violence and sexual assault. If either of these are triggering for you, please don't read._**

**Twilight and its characters belong to SMeyer. No copyright infringement intended.**

**2nd AN: This ties into a previous drabble: Treacherous Devotion.**

* * *

**Prompt from: TR's Weekly Fanfiction Flash Fic Challenge.**

******_"Where did you get that bruise?"_  
**

* * *

**Title:** Bruised

**Genre: **Angst, Hurt/Comfort

**Rating: **M for dark themes, violence, mentions of sexual assault

**Character(s):** Kim / Leah

**Word Count:** 1,027

* * *

Kim startled awake; her face grimacing as her sudden movement called attention to the newest set of bruises on her body. She held her breath and listened to the sounds of the house. Hearing nothing, she sat up slowly.

He must have left for patrol already. At least, she'd been given a reprieve. After all these months, she wished she could be different. If only she stopped testing his patience or didn't fight back.

It was too difficult to forget who she wanted to be and not stand up for herself. Or try to find a way of escape. At least, she'd managed to save Bella.

Her latest transgression had been going to Edward and letting him see exactly what it meant to be an imprint. She wasn't sure, but she thought that perhaps Jake had imprinted on Bella. It was the only thing that made his possessive nature and disregard for Bella's wishes make sense.

Somehow Bella found out that Kim had _talked _to Edward. It wasn't long before word got back to the pack through Jake. At least he hadn't torn her face apart – at least he hadn't yet.

Stiffly she walked to the bathroom. Flipping on the light, she half-closed her eyes to shut out the brightness. While she waited for her eyes to adjust, she turned on the shower.

As she paused, she gazed at herself in the mirror. She longer recognized the person in front of her. Underneath her eyes were dark circles, a testament to her poor sleep. Her skin was dull. Her eyes dim.

Even more alarming was the purplish bruising that encased her neck and upper torso. She squeezed her eyes shut and screamed internally as images flashed through her mind. Her body shivered as it remembered his roughness. The callowness he displayed towards her. To him, she was nothing more than a _possession_. According to the wolf gods, she belonged to him – body, heart, and soul.

He'd grabbed her roughly and directed her to their shared room. She protested with feeble cries as he tore her clothes from her body. He'd been angry with her dozens of times, hurting her in some twisted and sadistic ways, but this was different.

There was a look in his eyes that chilled her to the core. Nothing was left of his humanity. He was a burned out husk, a shell. He'd become a rabid animal. One that in the wild would be killed by its own as even animals could recognize the danger that one such as he presented.

He threw her down on the bed. Before she could get her bearings, his large body was on hers and he violently took her. Insidiously his hand wrapped around her throat. His grip tightening with each painful thrust until her vision blurred at the edges.

Miraculously he finished before she lost consciousness. Afterwards he gathered her in his arms and stroked her skin. His lips whispered words meant to comfort her, but they did the opposite.

"_Why do you make me do these things? I love you. I don't know why you want me to hurt you."_

She willed her heart to beat regularly. She focused on taking slow, measured breaths. And even though every cell in her body demanded to inch away from him, she laid still until he fell asleep. Only then did she put the barest amount of space between them.

"Where did you get those bruises?"

Kim gasped in shock; the voice both familiar and concerned. She slapped her hands across her body, knowing that it did little to cover the telltale marks. Her heart slammed against her rib cage and threatened to break free. She kept her gaze glued to the floor. She refused to look up and see the disgust and pity in the other person's face.

"Kim…did _Jared_ do this?" Leah asked; her voice breaking.

"_Please_, just leave. Pretend you never saw this," she begged.

In that moment, Leah knew she could never un-see this. She would never forget the frailness and vulnerability of a girl that in some messed up way she was bound to. The pack rules demanded that an imprint was sacred and to be protected by all. Something had gone terribly wrong and she wouldn't be part of the cover-up.

Kim breathed a sigh of relief when Leah left the small bathroom. Crossing the room, she got into the shower and only then did she let her tears fall. Silently she cried; the water washing them away as fast as fell.

She stayed under the water until it had cooled considerably. Turning the water off, she gently dried her skin and avoided the sorest areas. When she pulled the curtain open, she realized she wasn't alone.

Leah hadn't left. She'd only left the bathroom. Her wolf's anger had been too much and she feared losing control. So she walked outside for fresh air and waited until Kim was done with her shower before returning.

Kim glanced away, but Leah was quick to stop her. Her hand reached over to grasp Kim's chin to pull her face toward her. At Kim's flinch, her hand dropped and hung awkwardly in the space between the two of them.

"I know you have no reason to trust me, but I'm begging you to. I can protect you. This isn't right."

Kim snorted, disgust tinging her words, "How? You don't think they'd hesitate to kill _us_? That the elders wouldn't turn a blind eye to the truth. Just go. I think I've been _punished _enough."

It was the meaning behind the words that roused Leah's interest. Suddenly, she remembered the hushed conversations about Bella and Edward. The frustration and rage that Jake could barely contain the longer Bella stayed away from the rez. The insistence in his voice when he proclaimed she _belonged _to him.

"You were trying to protect her, weren't you? Why?"

Kim lifted her head, making eye contact with Leah for the first time ever. Her eyes flashed; a spark of determination entering them.

"You wouldn't understand – maybe before, but not now."

"I want to," she replied softly and sincerely. "Let me help."

FF_10482258_7 07/28/2014 12:22 AM


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